Motor-driven vehicle with a removable seat

ABSTRACT

A motor-driven vehicle includes a vehicle body with a top plate disposed at a top portion thereof, and a seat disposed above the vehicle body and including a fixed bottom plate that is superposed on the top plate. A connecting device connects the seat removably to the vehicle body, and includes a first pivot member disposed fixedly on one side of the top plate of the vehicle body, an engagement portion disposed fixedly on the opposite side of the top plate of the vehicle body, a second pivot member disposed fixedly on the bottom plate of the seat and connected rotatably and removably to the first pivot member, and a retaining unit attached to the bottom plate of the seat and connected removably to the engagement portion so as to prevent rotation of the seat relative to the vehicle body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a motor-driven vehicle, and more particularly to a motor-driven vehicle that has a removable seat.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional motor-driven vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 11, a seat 12 and a positioning pin 13. The vehicle body 11 includes an upwardly extending sleeve tube 111 that has a top end portion, which is formed with two aligned holes 112. The seat 12 includes a downwardly extending insert tube 121 that is formed with a plurality of aligned pairs of positioning holes 122. The positioning pin 13 extends through the holes 112 in the sleeve tube 111 of the vehicle body 11 and a selected one pair of the positioning holes 122 in the insert tube 121 of the seat 12.

The conventional motor-driven vehicle 1 suffers from the following disadvantages:

-   -   (1) When the seat 12 is assembled to the vehicle body 11, the         user needs to lift the seat 12, then insert the insert tube 121         into the sleeve tube 111.

Subsequently, the holes 112 in the sleeve tube 111 are aligned with the selected positioning holes 122 in the insert tube 121. While stabilizing the seat 12 with one hand, the user inserts the positioning pin 13 through the holes 112 in the sleeve tube 111 and the selected positioning holes 122 in the insert tube 121 with the other hand. This is particularly burdensome for elderly or disabled users.

-   -   (2) When the seat 12 is removed from the vehicle body 11, the         positioning pin 13 is not attached to the vehicle body 11 or the         seat 12, and therefore is apt to be misplaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to provide a motor-driven vehicle that can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to this invention, a motor-driven vehicle includes a vehicle body with a top plate disposed at a top portion thereof, a seat disposed above the vehicle body and including a fixed bottom plate that is superposed on the top plate, and a connecting device for connecting the seat removably to the vehicle body. The connecting device includes a first pivot member disposed fixedly on one side of the top plate of the vehicle body, an engagement portion disposed fixedly on the opposite side of the top plate of the vehicle body, a second pivot member disposed fixedly on the bottom plate of the seat and connected rotatably and removably to the first pivot member, and a retaining unit attached to the bottom plate of the seat and connected removably to the engagement portion so as to prevent rotation of the seat relative to the vehicle body. The retaining unit is operable so as to allow for upward pivoting of the seat about the first pivot member to a predetermined position, where the second pivot member can be removed from the first pivot member.

During assembly, the second pivot member is connected to the first pivot member so as to allow for subsequent downward pivoting of the seat about the first pivot member, thereby permitting the seat to be connected fixedly to the vehicle body by the connecting device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a conventional motor-driven vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the conventional motor-driven vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, partly exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a motor-driven vehicle according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a retaining unit of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, partly sectional side view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how a seat is brought into pivotal engagement with a vehicle body during assembly;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, partly sectional side view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how the seat is pivoted downwardly from a vertical position shown in FIG. 5 during assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partly sectional side view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how the seat is disposed at a horizontal position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, the preferred embodiment of a motor-driven vehicle according to this invention includes a vehicle body 2, a seat 3 and a connecting device 4.

The vehicle body 2 includes a top plate 21 disposed at a top portion thereof.

The seat 3 is disposed above the vehicle body 2, and includes a seat cushion 31 and a bottom plate 32 attached fixedly to a bottom surface of the seat cushion 31 and superposed on the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2.

The connecting device 4 connects the seat 3 removably to the vehicle body 2, and includes two parallel mounting plates 41, a first pivot member 42, an engagement portion 43, a pushing block 44, a second pivot member 45 and a retaining unit 46. The mounting plates 41 are connected fixedly to and extend rearwardly from a rear side of the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2. The first pivot member 42 is configured as a circular rod that has two ends connected respectively and fixedly to the mounting plates 41 and that is spaced apart from the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2. The engagement portion 43 is disposed fixedly on a front side of the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2. The pushing block 44 is fixed on and disposed above a front side of the engagement portion 43, and has an inclined surface 441. The second pivot member 45 is disposed fixedly on a bottom surface of the bottom plate 32 of the seat 3, and is connected rotatably and removably to the first pivot member 42. In this embodiment, the second pivot member 45 is configured as a plate that has a U-shaped cross section, which is formed by two horizontal plate portions 451 (see FIG. 7) and a vertical plate portion 452 (see FIG. 7) interconnecting the horizontal plate portions 451. The first pivot member 42 is disposed among the horizontal and vertical plate portions 451, 452. The retaining unit 46 is attached to a front side of the bottom plate 32 of the seat 3, and is connected removably to the engagement portion 43 so as to prevent rotation of the seat 3 relative to the vehicle body 2.

The retaining unit 46 includes a housing 461, a retaining block 462, a pull rod 463 and a resilient member 464 in the form of a coiled compression spring. The housing 461 is fixed on the bottom surface of the bottom plate 32 of the seat 3. The retaining block 462 is confined within the housing 461, and is formed with an inclined end surface 465. The pull rod 463 is connected fixedly to the retaining block 462, and extends outwardly from the housing 461. The housing 461 consists of an L-shaped lower plate 466 and a U-shaped upper plate 467 that are interconnected threadedly. The resilient member 464 is disposed within the housing 461 and is sleeved on the pull rod 463 between the lower plate 466 and the retaining block 462 so as to bias a rear end of the retaining block 462 to project from the housing 461. The retaining block 462 abuts against a bottom surface of the engagement portion 43 so as to retain the housing 461 on the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2.

The housing 461 is formed with a slide slot 468 that has two closed ends. The retaining unit 46 further includes a limiting member 469 that extends through the slide slot 468 in the housing 461 and that is connected fixedly to the retaining block 462. As such, the retaining member 462 can move within the housing 461 by a distance that is smaller than the length of the slide slot 468.

When it is desired to mount the seat 3 to the vehicle body 2, the seat 3 is turned to a vertical position and is moved to a position directly above the first pivot member 42, as shown in FIG. 3. Subsequently, the seat 3 is moved downwardly to engage the first pivot member 42 within the second pivot member 45, as shown in FIG. 5. The seat 3 is then pivoted downwardly about the first pivot member 42 to engage the inclined end surface 465 of the retaining block 462 with the inclined surface 441 of the pushing block 44, as shown in FIG. 6. During movement of the inclined end surface 465 of the retaining block 462 along the inclined surface 441 of the pushing block 44, the pushing block 44 moves the retaining block 462 into the housing 461. This enables the inclined end surface 465 of the retaining block 462 to move onto then over a front end of the engagement portion 43. When the retaining block 462 moves past the engagement portion 43, the bottom plate 32 of the seat 3 is superposed on the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2, and the rear end of the retaining block 462 is biased by the resilient member 464 to project from the housing 461, as shown in FIG. 7. As a consequence, a top surface of the retaining block 462 abuts against the bottom surface of the engagement portion 43 so as to fix the seat 3 to the vehicle body 2.

Subsequently, when it is desired to remove the seat 3 from the vehicle body 2, the pull rod 463 is pulled outwardly against the biasing action of the resilient member 464 so as to retract the retaining block 462 into the housing 461, thereby allowing for removal of the housing 461 from the top plate 21 of the vehicle body 2. In this state, the seat 3 can be pivoted upwardly about the first pivot member 42 from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 7 to the vertical position shown in FIG. 5. When the seat 3 is disposed at the vertical position, it can be moved upwardly to separate from the vehicle body 2.

The motor-driven vehicle of this invention has the following advantages:

(1) The seat 3 can be easily mounted to and removed from the vehicle body 2 using a single hand.

(2) When the seat 3 is removed from the vehicle body 2, the parts of the connecting device 4 remain attached to the vehicle body 2 and the seat 3.

Therefore, misplacement of the parts of the connecting device 4 can be prevented.

With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended claims. 

1. A motor-driven vehicle comprising: a vehicle body with a top plate disposed at a top portion thereof; a seat disposed above said vehicle body and including a fixed bottom plate that is superposed on said top plate; and a connecting device for connecting said seat removably to said vehicle body, said connecting device including a first pivot member disposed fixedly on one side of said top plate of said vehicle body, an engagement portion disposed fixedly on the opposite side of said top plate of said vehicle body, a second pivot member disposed fixedly on said bottom plate of said seat and connected rotatably and removably to said first pivot member, and a retaining unit attached to said bottom plate of said seat and connected removably to said engagement portion so as to prevent rotation of said seat relative to said vehicle body, said retaining unit being operable so as to allow for upward pivoting of said seat about said first pivot member to a predetermined position, where said second pivot member can be removed from said first pivot member; whereby, during assembly, said second pivot member is connected to said first pivot member so as to allow for subsequent downward pivoting of said seat about said first pivot member, thereby permitting said seat to be connected fixedly to said vehicle body by said connecting device.
 2. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining unit includes: a housing fixed on said bottom plate of said seat; a retaining block confined within said housing; a pull rod connected fixedly to said retaining block and extending outwardly from said housing; and a resilient member disposed within said housing so as to bias said retaining block to project from said housing, thereby permitting said retaining block to abut against a bottom surface of said engagement portion, such that said housing is retained on said top plate of said vehicle body; said pull rod being capable of being pulled outwardly against biasing action of said resilient member so as to retract said retaining block into said housing, thereby allowing for removal of said housing from said top plate of said vehicle body.
 3. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retaining block has an inclined end surface that is disposed outwardly of said housing unit and that comes into contact with said engagement portion when said seat pivots downwardly about said first pivot member during assembly.
 4. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said connecting device further includes a pushing block fixed on and disposed above said engagement portion and having an inclined surface, said inclined end surface of said retaining block coming into contact with said inclined surface of said pushing block when said seat pivots downwardly about said first pivot member during assembly.
 5. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing is formed with a slide slot that has two closed ends, said retaining unit further including a limiting member that extends through said slide slot in said housing and that is connected fixedly to said retaining block so that said retaining member can move within said housing by a distance that is smaller than a length of said slide slot.
 6. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second pivot member is configured as a plate that has a U-shaped cross section, which is formed by two horizontal plate portions and a vertical plate portion interconnecting said horizontal plate portions, said first pivot member being configured as a circular rod and being disposed among said vertical plate portion and said horizontal plate portions, said retaining unit being operable so as to allow for upward pivoting of said seat about said first pivot member to a vertical position that constitutes said predetermined position.
 7. The motor-driven vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said connecting device further includes two parallel mounting plates connected fixedly to said top plate of said vehicle body, said first pivot member being configured as a circular rod that has two ends connected respectively and fixedly to said mounting plates and that is spaced apart from said top plate of said vehicle body. 